


Beauty of the Unhidden Heart

by Cunninglinguist



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bloodplay, Blushing, Bottom Daryl, Boys Kissing, Christmas, Christmas Smut, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes Feels, Daryl In Love, Declarations Of Love, Domestic, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Eye Contact, Fluff and Smut, Gay Sex, Love, M/M, Making Love, Not Canon Compliant, Parent!Rickyl, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Rickyl Writers' Group, Rickyl Writers' Group December 2015 Challenge, Rimming, Sensitive Daryl, Smut, The fluff is actually absurd, There is zero plot here, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Top Rick, Winter Romance, apocalypse boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 09:30:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5451791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cunninglinguist/pseuds/Cunninglinguist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The group is settled in for their first holiday season in the snowy ASZ. Daryl gets a Christmas tree, and Rick is all about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beauty of the Unhidden Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Usual disclaimers: I don't own The Walking Dead, I'm not making any money off of this, this work is unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own.

The Christmas tree had been Michonne’s idea. Daryl had gone along with it, especially since Rick seemed to think that it was important for everyone to have a proper Christmas this year, tree and all. The Alexandria Safe Zone meant so much to everyone in the group, and Daryl continued to be amazed that they had not only managed to make it there but also keep it and make it home…at least for the time being. Unfortunately, the place the world had become did not allow the luxury of certainty or stability; it almost guaranteed loss and suffering. 

Winter in Alexandria was different from winter in Georgia, that was for sure: Daryl huffed hot, damp breaths onto the bandanna covering the lower part of his face as he dragged the evergreen through the snow. While he had gotten used to the cold, the snow was a different story entirely. 

“Can’t believe all this snow,” he muttered to himself, kicking up white bursts of fluff with each deliberate trudge. Daryl five years ago would have been utterly incredulous of the measures that present Daryl took for a group of people unrelated to him by blood, but present Daryl didn’t even think twice before volunteering to chop down a tree for the occasion. Their little group had become more of a family to him than any blood relatives in his life, and Daryl absolutely adored each and every one of them. He would do anything to keep them safe and, when the world allowed for it, happy. 

Especially Rick.

Fitting the tree into the shoddy, rusty stand that he’d found in the hallway closet had initially proven difficult for the archer, but after a lot of cussing and kicking, he’d gotten it done. He’d even caught himself smiling when Carl came home with Judith, commenting on the size and beauty of the tree that Daryl had selected. Michonne, Carol, and the rest of the group soon followed as they filtered in from their daily activities. Tara had unearthed a box full of dusty Christmas decorations from a closet in the basement, which everyone descended upon immediately. 

Rick was the last one to come in, returning home after the sun had gone down. Daryl watched his lover shake the snowflakes from his curls as he shed his sheriff jacket before taking in the joyous scene before him. Daryl’s heart rate picked up as he watched Rick watching his son: Carl cooed to Judith as he showed her each shiny bauble before carefully hanging it on the tree. Youthful joy lit his face as Michonne passed him candy canes she’d found on a run over the summer and had decided to save. “Just in case, for the holidays,” she’d said, smiling as she’d stowed them away, daring to hope for the best.

 

“What’s goin’ on in here?” Rick asked, stepping into the room and hugging Carl and Judith quickly before they returned to their decoration tasks.

“Daryl got us a tree,” said Michonne, eyes sparkling as she fidgeted with a string of old, tangled Christmas lights. 

“He did, huh?” Rick stepped towards Daryl and affectionately rubbed a hand across his shoulders. Daryl blushed, warmth coursing through his body as Rick gazed at him as though he were the only person in the room. 

“Hey,” said Rick quietly, moving his hand to Daryl’s lower back and lightly rubbing it in soothing circles. “This is…this is great, Daryl. Ya didn’t have to do all this…thank you.”

Daryl shrugged. “Thought it would be good, ‘specially for the kids. I never had a tree growin’ up, but I always liked the ones I saw.”

Rick’s brow furrowed. Judith let out a little whimper, and Daryl turned just in time to see the toddler squirm in Carl’s arms and reach towards him and Rick.

Daryl brushed the hair from his eyes and automatically stepped forward to take Judith from Carl, who tried to shush her before returning to the tree.

Judith contentedly buried her face in Daryl’s neck, instantly stilling in his arms. Judith had been particularly partial to Daryl recently, since the beginning of the fall, which had made Daryl happier than he had thought possible, especially since Judith had spent the summer quieting only for Rick and Carol. 

“Gonna take Judy upstairs,” said Daryl softly. “Give her a bath and put her to bed.”

Eyes soft, Rick stepped forward and kissed Judith’s forehead before leaning in and whispering in Daryl’s ear, “I’ll be up in a little…you better be too.”

Daryl inhaled sharply as he willed himself to not think about Rick coming to bed with him. He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily as Rick planted a close-mouthed but not entirely chaste kiss to his jaw, a promise of things to come.

“Night,” he said to the group as he walked up the stairs, a slowly fading toddler in his arms.

 

********************************************************************************************************************************

 

Rick ventured upstairs once the tree decoration had been completed and the boxes and papers and bags stowed away, which ended up being about an hour after Daryl. He noticed the light filtering under the door to the room that he shared with Daryl. As stealthily as he could, he pushed the door open. The sight that greeted him nearly melted his heart all over the floor: Daryl Dixon passed out on the bed, a freshly-bathed, sleeping Judith snuggled against his slightly rising and falling chest. His shoes and crossbow lay forgotten on the floor. One of Daryl's large hands was splayed protectively on Judith's back.

Nearly breathless, Rick leaned against the doorway, a smile splitting his face as he struggled with the wave of sheer joy washing over his entire being. They looked beautiful, lying in perfect tranquility, breathing softly together. Daryl emitted a tiny snore once in a while. Rick wasn’t sure he's ever seen Daryl sleep so peacefully.

As quietly as possible, Rick sat on the bed, eyes soft as he watched his beauties in awe for some time, oblivious to his presence. 

A little, choked noise behind him startled him from his reverie. He turned to see Carol standing in the doorway, hand covering her mouth as she looked at the slumbering baby and hunter with the same misty eyes as Rick.

"I'll come back," she mouthed to Rick, who nodded back and mouthed, "One minute.”

Rick lightly brushed his hand over the top of Judith's sweet head and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

"Love you, sweetheart," he whispered, his other hand absently stroking up Daryl's arm.

"Mmm," came a gravelly mumble. "Your daddy's a big softy." Rick glanced up to see Daryl smiling, his eyes still closed. Judith began to stir, and Daryl rubbed her back softly and craned his neck.

"Hey," whispered Rick, leaning forward to plant a soft kiss on Daryl's lips. Daryl smiled wider and returned the kiss, breaking away only to sit up and look at Judith. He narrowed his eyes and held her up to his face as she made little noises of displeasure at being awakened before shoving her own hand into her mouth.

"We weren't s'posed to fall asleep like this, Judy," Daryl said as softly as he could in that raspy deep voice of his. Judith pulled her hand out of her mouth and smeared it all over Daryl's face, cooing as she did it. Rick snorted a little laugh as Daryl just closed his eyes and let it happen, a smile playing across his lips.

"Carol came by. She’s gonna let Judy sleep in her room tonight," said Rick, reaching forward to relieve the hunter of Judith. Daryl reluctantly passed her to Rick before wiping the spit on his shirtsleeve.

Rick smiled at Judith and cooed at her for a second before rising and exiting the room to find Carol in the next room over, waiting for Judith.

"Thank you," said Rick as Carol took a barely conscious baby in her arms. "Can't tell ya how much I appreciate you lookin' after her for the night."

"No problem at all," she replied, smiling at Rick. "Get some, ah, sleep."

Rick chuckled before returning to his room. Daryl had rolled onto his stomach and was spread out like a starfish on the bed. Rick's heart rate picked up. 

Daryl turned his cheek to look sleepily up at Rick through long pretty lashes. "Hullo officer," he mumbled into the pillow. "Do I need to go down an’ take watch? Who's...who's on watch?"

"Don't you worry 'bout that," said Rick, toeing off his shoes and sitting next to Daryl on the bed. He slowly rubbed his hand up and down Daryl's back. Daryl let out a content little sigh. "Glenn's on watch right now."

"Mmm. Ok. Good." Daryl turned his face into the pillow. Rick leaned down and buried his face in the hair at the base of Daryl's neck, inhaling deeply before nuzzling across his bare flesh. Daryl shuddered in response. "If ya keep that up, might get yourself into some trouble, officer friendly." 

"Maybe I mean to," whispered Rick. He maneuvered himself on top of Daryl, slotting himself between Daryl's strong legs and pressing his crotch ever so slightly against his firm rear. 

Daryl made another sweet little noise before craning his neck back to look at Rick. "Mmm…now?" he rasped. 

"Want you now," replied Rick, pressing his rapidly thickening denim-clad cock against Daryl's ass again. This time, Daryl groaned softly and pushed back.

"Thought about you all day while I was out," said Rick, kissing wetly down Daryl's neck. He ran his hands down Daryl's arms to his hands and intertwined their fingers as he rolled his hips a third time. 

"Shit," whispered Daryl, his breathing getting more rapid.

"Was thinkin' 'bout how good you'd look, just lyin' here in bed, waitin' for me to come home…" Rick lowered his voice and moved his lips right next to Daryl's ear. "Come home and fuck you."

Daryl bit his lip to stifle a moan and leaned his head back against Rick's. Rick felt Daryl's fingers tighten around his own and the insistent press of his ass against his hips. Rick sucked Daryl's earlobe into his mouth and bit down, eliciting a sharp gasp from the beautiful hunter.

“Then I saw you after you got that tree, face all flushed, sweatin’ a little, mmm, ya looked so good. Wanted to take you right on the floor as soon as I got in, didn’t care if anyone saw.”

"Rick," Daryl whispered somewhat urgently, voice shaking. "Rick-there's--what 'bout everybody else? They still up?"

"Some of ‘em," Rick whispered back, trailing his tongue up the shell of Daryl's ear, the heady taste of his flesh setting Rick absolutely on fire. "So you'll just have to be quiet, won't ya?"

Daryl bit his bottom lip again. 

"Can you do that, baby? Can you be quiet while I fuck you?" Rick's voice was low and predatory, harsh against Daryl's ear, his hips undulating continuously. 

A little whine escaped Daryl's lips and his head fell forward. "Y-yeah," he replied. 

"Yeah?" Rick exhaled. He slowly sat up on his knees, tugging at Daryl. "Turn around then."

Daryl flailed a little as he twisted his upper body around first, face flushed, lips parted. He swung his left leg up to accommodate Rick, who caught it midway through its journey, and pressed his mouth against Daryl's calf. He reached up and slowly pulled Daryl's sock off and brought his foot down to his lips, pressing open-mouthed kisses down his sole to his heel to his ankle. 

"Rick!" gasped Daryl, a smile playing on his lips. He jerked his foot out of his lover’s grasp and laid on his back before wrapping his legs around Rick's waist and pulling him down on top of him.

Rick fell with a small grunt, bracing himself on his forearms. He leaned down, bridging the tiny gap between his hungry mouth and Daryl's slightly parted, kiss-swollen lips. Daryl's fingers came up to card through and grasp at Rick's hair as Rick licked deeper into his mouth and began languidly thrusting against the man beneath him.

Rick opened his eyes and broke away from the kiss, panting hard. Daryl was a wondrous sight to behold: his head was thrown back, eyes squeezed shut, mouth gaping open. He was clearly struggling to not make a sound, but the occasional little strangled mewl slipped through his heavy breaths. His hips were moving up to meet Rick's, and Rick could feel his erection throbbing in his pants. He couldn't think of a better, sexier, or more beautiful sight than an aroused Daryl. 

"Please," whispered Daryl.

Rick almost came in his pants. Daryl wanted him so badly he was already begging. After two controlled breaths, he sat back on his heels and peeled off his shirt. His eyes hungrily roamed Daryl's body, taking in his flushed face, his heaving chest, and of course, the sizable bulge between his legs.

"Gonna take care of you," he breathed, holding Daryl's right leg up reverently and slowly pulling that sock off. He gave that foot the same attention as he had given the other one until Daryl was panting and reaching for his own belt buckle. Giving him as stern a look as he could in his state of extreme arousal, Rick batted his hand away and said, "No, baby. Let me."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at Rick and crossed his arms over his chest, but Rick had him moaning through gritted teeth once more when he undid his belt, stroking the heel of his hand over his swollen erection as he went.

"Want you so bad,” murmured Rick as he curled his fingers inside of Daryl's waistband. Daryl eagerly lifted his hips so that Rick could easily slide his pants off, kissing each inch of freshly revealed flesh as he did so. 

"So beautiful," Rick murmured against Daryl's inner thigh.

Daryl's blush deepened. "Nah," he muttered.

Rick kissed up Daryl's thigh, tactfully avoiding his cock, and tucked up his shirt and vest to press more kisses to his sensitive, taught tummy. He slid his body up against Daryl's until their mouths were nearly touching. "Mmm, yeah.”

Daryl flushed bright red, bit his lip, and covered his face with his hands.

"Hey," whispered Rick, kissing along each of his fingers before gently prying them off of his face. "Daryl. Look at me."

Daryl just barely opened his eyes, chewing on his lip and not quite looking at Rick.

Rick just smiled at him and kissed both of his cheekbones softly. "You’re beautiful, baby."

"Jus' get back to what you were doin' before, officer friendly," Daryl said almost petulantly, his cheeks warm and his mouth quirked up in a half smile. Rick knew that Daryl was much better at expressing how he felt without words. He knew that Daryl had never experienced love before him, not real love, and certainly not love as strong as the love Rick felt for him, and that it was difficult for him to take compliments. However, not even all of this knowledge dissuaded Rick from telling Daryl how beautiful he was every single chance he got, how much he loved him, how incredibly special he was, how he didn't know what he would do without him....even though he was met with a scoff and furious blushing at every turn, Rick needed him to know. He figured if he told him enough times, maybe he'd start believing it.

"Love you, Daryl," Rick breathed against Daryl's neck as his hands gently worked his hunter's vest off, moving quickly to the buttons on his shirt.

"Mmm!" Daryl clapped a hand over his mouth as Rick licked and sucked his newly revealed right nipple. He mouthed down Daryl's heaving chest, savoring the unbelievable feeling of Daryl’s heartbeat beneath him. 

Finally, Rick was eye level with Daryl's hard, straining cock. Daryl was biting his fist to muffle desperate keening noises that Rick was dying to hear. Rick rubbed one hand up and down Daryl's thigh and brought the other one to cup his balls, weighty and drawn tight.

"So full," he whispered before he leaned forward and licked the bead of precum from Daryl's slit.

Daryl shook, sighed, and slammed his fists into the mattress as his back arched into the contact.

Rick suckled at his head for a moment as he caressed Daryl's balls. Pulling off, he looked up to watch his lover’s face as he moved his hand lower and pressed his finger down on his perineum. 

"Ah--ahh!" Rick saw a rivulet of red run down Daryl's chin. Alarmed, he moved up and took Daryl's face in his hands.

"Feels good," breathed Daryl, smiling hazily, his teeth tinged red. "S'alright, just bit m'lip."

"You ok?" Rick swiped his thumb through the blood, furrowing his brow in concern, momentarily forgetting his own neglected arousal. 

Daryl just smirked at Rick and leaned up to kiss him. It was a hungry kiss, and Rick felt a surge of power and adoration as he tasted Daryl's blood on his tongue. Daryl moaned loudly as Rick gently bit his abused bottom lip again, greedily lapping at the fresh blood.

Utterly consumed with lust, Rick pulled back to momentarily admire Daryl’s dazed, rosy face before manhandling him onto his stomach. 

He pressed his front flush to Daryl's back, sweat slick skin slipping against sweat slick skin. Sliding his achingly hard cock between Daryl's luscious ass cheeks, Rick murmured into his hunter’s ear, “ Love you, Daryl.” 

Daryl let out the sweetest, most desperate moan Rick had ever heard him make and gripped the sheets until his knuckles were white. 

After quickly shucking off his confining pants, Rick grabbed the bottle of lube that they always kept in the nightstand. Daryl squirmed as Rick gently pushed down between his shoulder blades and continued, "Can only do this if you're quiet. Gotta be quiet for me now."

Daryl sucked his lips in between his teeth and bit down hard, squeezing his eyes shut. More red ran down from his mouth as he desperately tried to rut against the sheets. 

Overwhelmed by the vision of his partner’s desperate desire, Rick smiled against Daryl’s hot flesh as he kissed down his spine. 

Daryl’s broken off moans, throaty groans, and humid little gasps spurred Rick on as he parted his lover’s plush ass cheeks and proceeded to slowly kiss and lick him open. It wasn’t until Daryl’s entire body quivered and he was gasping out nearly incoherent pleas that Rick sat back on his heels and lubed up his fingers. 

Daryl was soft and wet as Rick gently teased two of his fingers inside of him. Daryl let out a choked sob, and Rick was beside himself with the pleasure of watching Daryl come apart in his hands. He continued to be in utter awe of the fact that Daryl trusted him enough to let him see this side of him, raw and completely unhidden as Rick’s ardent adoration consumed him mind, body, and soul. 

“You’re so amazing,” sighed Rick, his heart clenching as he saw tears running down his sensitive lover’s flushed face. Daryl was trembling, his entire being vibrating with pure sensation.

“Mmm, feels so good,” whimpered Daryl, straining his neck to look back at Rick. He squeezed his eyes shut and tightly gripped the sheets as Rick rubbed the pads of his fingers against his lovely prostate. “Please!” he cried, turning his face into the mattress.

“Ok, ok. You’re ready. Shh, I got you,” whispered Rick as he gently slid his fingers free. Before Daryl could protest the loss, Rick coaxed him onto his back and nudged his thighs further apart. 

“Wanna see your face when I make you come,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss Daryl’s tear-stained cheeks. Daryl’s hot, sweaty hands clutched urgently at Rick’s back as Rick languidly rubbed his aching length against Daryl’s, slippery sweat and precum sweetening each movement. Daryl swiveled his hips to meet each of Rick’s thrusts, his eyes screwed shut and his mouth open.

“You ready?” Rick slid a hand over to grab the lube and slick himself up, his forehead pressed against Daryl’s.

“Yeah,” groaned Daryl, his eyes glazed over with arousal as he bucked his hips and wound his legs around Rick’s waist. 

Rick took a deep breath as he rubbed himself against Daryl’s pliant body. “Look at me, baby.”

Daryl sucked his lips between his teeth and obeyed. Rick’s heart pounded in his chest as he locked his gaze onto Daryl’s striking blue eyes and pushed in at a torturously slow pace.

Daryl’s nails bit into Rick’s back and he threw his head back, gasping Rick’s name as Rick gradually filled him and slowly rolled and swiveled his hips, pressing his sweat slick chest against Daryl’s, kissing Daryl’s neck and jaw and face, panting into his open mouth. Daryl broke eye contact to slam his eyes shut in bliss, his strong thighs tightening around Rick’s midsection as Rick thrust into him, pushing the head of his cock against Daryl’s sweetest spot over and over again.

“Oh, you feel so good, Daryl,” praised Rick breathlessly, delirious with the sensation of his lover’s body. 

“God!” Daryl threw his head back, his beyond hard cock dripping onto his stomach. His nails raked painfully down Rick’s back. “So good…’m close!” he wailed before his back bowed sharply off the bed. 

“That’s it baby,” gasped Rick with a powerful roll of his hips. Daryl’s hands slid up and clutched the back of Rick’s head, pulling his face into his sweaty neck.

“Ah, shit—Rick!” Daryl continued to hold Rick’s face against him with one hand as he slipped the other one down between them to pull on his cock. 

Rick was nearly in tears as he felt the familiar tingling of his own powerful orgasm. He kissed and sucked on Daryl’s neck as he increased the pace of his hips. “Yeah, come on Daryl, that’s it, I love you so much,” he whispered, leaning his face back to behold the man below him. 

“Rick—‘m gonna—oh Christ…” Daryl’s breath hitched and he looked Rick right in the eye before gasping out, “Love you.” He squeezed his eyes shut as he cried out his release, shuddering violently and coming thickly between their bodies. 

Completely overtaken by both Daryl’s reciprocal love declaration and the sight of his lover reaching his peak, Rick groaned Daryl’s name as he stiffened and poured his love deep inside of the most amazing person he had ever known, body and soul.

“God,” panted Daryl as he came down. Rick kissed him sweetly before pulling out slowly and lying on his right side. Daryl rolled onto his left side, facing Rick, before reaching for Rick’s hand and loosely clasping their fingers together. Daryl’s eyes were soft and open as comfortable silence passed between them as easily as their shared breath. 

Rick brought Daryl’s knuckles up to his lips and kissed them, eliciting a faint blush from his lover, half asleep in his post-coital bliss.

“Thank you for what you did today. For the tree…for everythin’,” he whispered. Daryl scoffed a little and opened his mouth to reply, but Rick cut him off.

“You’re so good, Daryl,” he continued, his eyes boring into Daryl’s. “Love how you are with Judy and Carl. Love how you’re always thinkin’ about other people, so selfless. Love seein’ you all worked up and sweaty…love bein’ inside you.” He punctuated each statement with a kiss to Daryl’s knuckles. Daryl’s averted his eyes and chewed on his lips, blushing, still unsure of how to receive Rick’s barrage of compliments.

“You know you’re everythin’ to me, right?” Rick carried on, heart swelling in his chest as he was unable to stop his feelings from pouring out of his mouth. 

Daryl glanced away, blinking, before gazing at Rick through his lashes and nodding shyly. “An’ you know I feel the same.”

Rick smiled and kept kissing his lover’s hands until Daryl pulled them away, laughing. Rick playfully rolled on top of Daryl and planted a big smooch on his smiling lips.

“Well, shit,” said Daryl, throwing his arms around Rick’s neck as his face was attacked with kisses. “If this is how ya get when I chop down a Christmas tree, I’m gonna have to make it a habit.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this sugary injection of Xmas love porn that I wrote for the RWG December 2015 "Winter Romance" challenge. I really really needed some extra fluffy Rick losing his damn mind about Daryl in my life, so...this happened. I know it's hard to believe since I post so infrequently, but I *am* working on quite a few other fics that I'll be putting up as soon as they're ready. :)
> 
> I named the fic for the gorgeous Glitch Mob song of the same name: listen to it [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UItVrmogCFA). 
> 
> Come say hello on [Tumblr](http://hannibalssweaters.tumblr.com/)! 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are my life's blood...leave as many as you'd like! Thank you for reading!


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